Gabriel made no reply.
"He was not to blame, for it was perfectly true about—about his seeing somebody else," she quickly added. "And now I don't wish for a single remark from you upon the subject—indeed, I forbid it. I only wanted you to know that misunderstood bit of my history before a time comes when you could never know it.—You want some more sheaves?"
She went down the ladder, and the work proceeded. Gabriel soon perceived a langour in the movements of his mistress up and down, and he said to her, gently as a mother,—
"I think you had better go indoors now, you are tired. I can finish the rest alone. If the wind does not change the rain is likely to keep off."
"If I am useless I will o," said Bathsheba, in a flagging cadence. "But oh, if your life should be lost!"
"You are not useless; but I would rather not tire you longer. You have done well."
"And you better!" she said, gratefully. "Thank you for your devotion, a thousand times, Gabriel! Good-night—I know you are doing your very best for me."
She diminished in the gloom, and vanished, and he heard the latch of the gate fall as she
